Techniques › T1588 › T1588.003
T1588.003 Code Signing Certificates
resource development — PRE · attack.mitre.org · JSON
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MITRE detection strategy
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analytics
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Sigma rules tagged attack.t1588.003
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KEV CVEs mapped here
<p>Adversaries may buy and/or steal code signing certificates that can be used during targeting. Code signing is the process of digitally signing executables and scripts to confirm the software author and guarantee that the code has not been altered or corrupted. Code signing provides a level of authenticity for a program from the developer and a guarantee that the program has not been tampered with. Users and/or security tools may trust a signed piece of code more than an unsigned piece of code even if they don't know who issued the certificate or who the author is.</p><p>Prior to Code Signing, adversaries may purchase or steal code signing certificates for use in operations. The purchase of code signing certificates may be done using a front organization or using information stolen from a previously compromised entity that allows the adversary to validate to a certificate provider as that entity. Adversaries may also steal code signing materials directly from a compromised third-party.</p>
KEV CVEs mapped to this technique · CTID Mappings Explorer
None. No KEV entry in the public mapping names this technique. Given that 74.7% of KEV has no mapping at all, this says more about the mapping than about the technique.
Detection strategy · ATT&CK Enterprise v19.2
- DET0875 Detection of Code Signing Certificates v1.0
AN2007 PREConsider analyzing code signing certificates for features that may be associated with the adversary and/or their developers, such as the thumbprint, algorithm used, validity period, common name, and certificate authority. Malware repositories can also be used to identify additional samples associated with the adversary and identify patterns an adversary has used in procuring code signing certificates. Much of this activity will take place outside the visibility of the target organization, making detection of this behavior difficult. Detection efforts may be focused on related follow-on behavior, such as Code Signing or Install Root Certificate.
Sigma rules · SigmaHQ da9bb07d64, tag attack.t1588.003
No Sigma rule carries this tag. MITRE publishes a detection strategy above, so the behaviour is specified; what is missing is public detection content.
Rules tagged at the parent level (attack.t1588) 2
These target the parent technique, not this sub-technique specifically. Listed for completeness, not counted as coverage.
Author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems), Arnim Rupp
· 2017-02-19 (modified 2024-12-25) · logsource: product=windows service=application · 78bc5783-81d9-4d73-ac97-59f6db4f72a8
Detects potentially highly relevant antivirus events in the application log based on known virus signature names and malware keywords.
Author: Florian Roth (Nextron Systems), Arnim Rupp
· 2018-09-09 (modified 2026-06-29) · logsource: category=antivirus · c9a88268-0047-4824-ba6e-4d81ce0b907c
Detects an Antivirus alert in a highly relevant file path or with a relevant file name.
This event must not be ignored just because the AV has blocked the malware but investigate, how it came there in the first place.